


Fifteen Minutes In Stardew Valley

by neonjukebox14



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Gore, Bullying, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ensemble Cast, Eventual Romance, F/M, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, LGBTQ Themes, Multi, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Non-Explicit Sex, Nostalgia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reunions, Romance, Science Fiction, Slow Burn, Smoking, Step-parents, Substance Abuse, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:22:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24111976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonjukebox14/pseuds/neonjukebox14
Summary: Following the discovery of a heinous crime, the citizens of Stardew Valley cope with intense fallout of the knowledge that a killer may be among them. Meanwhile, two outsiders from Zuzu City arrive; bringing with them intense tribulations, playful romance, and a supernatural energy that rocks the town to its core.
Relationships: Abigail/Male Player (Stardew Valley), Alex/Haley (Stardew Valley), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 17





	1. The Overture

**Author's Note:**

> With the exception of two major original characters, most everyone in this story is a product of ConcernedApe's great character development and world building. Minor creative liberties have been taken to fit within my narrative better, however what you are about to read is a product resulting from a deep love for the original content it is based on.

Sebastian was the first one to wake up. This was rather unfortunate as mornings were his least favorite time of day. The light from the spring sunrises leaked through the basement windows at just the right angle, so as to shine directly in his eyes as he laid in bed. Earlier that winter, he had painted over the windows with a thick layer of black paint. It worked wonders and allowed him to sleep in as late as he wanted.

A week later, Demetrius spoke up about the windows over a family meal of Joja Mart tuna.

“They’re just ugly from the outside. It’s going to look terrible once I grow my tulips around the edges of the house this spring.” He spoke curtly as Maru fixated on the cheap fish in front of her, clearly removed from the conversation.

Robin had taken Sebastian’s hand after Demetrius gave his grievance, lightly gripping so as to show the slightest sense of care. “You’re already not getting enough daily sunlight Sebby. Don’t just do this for us. Do it for yourself as well.”

Two days later, Sebastian spent the entire morning washing the paint off the windows, feeling the sun burn his skin as it fought its way through the melting goop. In that moment he resented Demetrius. This was not a new feeling, but it certainly felt the strongest up until that point.

As Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed, fighting his new inconvenience by rubbing his eyes, he danced his toes across the cold cement. It was his morning ritual and he had grown to love doing it. He began to cycle through his head what he was going to do that day.

 _Sam left yesterday to pick up his brother from space camp._ He slid his big toe toward the rug pointing out from under his bed. _Maybe Abigail and I will go try to fix the old lift at the mine. Maybe a round of pool and some beer at the Stardrop later._

Using his toes, Sebastian flicked his slippers out from under the bed, sliding to the perfect position for his feet to enter. When one lives in a cold basement, proper footwear becomes a necessity. He shuffled across the floor to his nearby desk, rifling through his pencil box to find his half empty carton of Junimo Spirits. Sebastian usually didn’t have his smoke until later in the evening, but with Sam gone and the sunlight back in his room, he felt like it wasn’t the worst way to rein in the new day.

Quietly going through his bedroom door, he crept up the basement stairs toward where the rest of his family resided. He could hear the light purrs of Robin and Demetrius sleeping. As one took a nasally inhale, the other would exhale like a gentle motorboat, seemingly having a conversation with one another even whilst in slumber. Sebastian tiptoed past Maru’s bedroom door, strangely ajar, but not fully open. It was possible that she was awake, but he really didn’t feel like talking to her (or anyone for that matter). In addition, if Maru was awake this early in the morning, it usually meant that there was an emergency at Harvey’s. _Definitely the worst time to bug her._ He finally reached the front door of the house, swapping his slippers for a pair of ragged sneakers. Getting new shoes was long overdue, but service at Marnie’s was notoriously flighty during the winter. After tying the second lace, Sebastian cracked open the door slowly, so as to not wake up or disturb the other occupants of the house. He was sure Robin would disapprove of him smoking so early in the morning.

As the outdoor air hit Sebastian’s face, he suddenly realized what day it was. The last morning of winter was always distinct in Stardew Valley. Every year, the thick layer of snow always seemed to melt overnight. In addition, morning doves seemed to return to the valley from their seasonal vacation in droves, serenading the community with beautiful harmonies.

 _Maybe I should be listening to the birds more._ Sebastian thought as he shut the front door and pressed toward the nearby river. _Perhaps they can help write our next song._

As he approached the edges of the river, Sebastian began cycling through his band’s progress thus far. He, Sam, and Abigail had started the group a few months ago. They called themselves The Salmonberries. Up until that point, they had spent most of their time practicing in his garage and doing the occasional performance at the Stardrop Saloon (if Gus was feeling generous). However, Sebastian felt they were getting really good. Before leaving yesterday, Sam had mentioned to him that he was working on a new song that was sure to bring The Salmonberries to new heights.

 _All we need to do is get a gig in Zuzu City. Then we’ll really get noticed._ Sebastian found his usual smoking rock and made himself comfortable, rifling through his sweatshirt pocket for his lighter.

As Sebastian stuck a cigarette into his mouth, bringing a flame to it, Demetrius crept back into his mind. Demetrius didn’t care for his music. With the garage being one of the only practical spots in town to practice their music, the band got on the nerves of Robin’s second husband quickly. Sebastian was sympathetic to the fact that the garage shared a wall with Demetrius’ lab, but that wasn’t necessarily an invitation for him to be openly hostile to his friends. Sebastian’s music was one of the few things of his that Robin stood up for. Shortly after Demetrius’ first outburst, Sebastian recalled hearing an argument between him and his mother.

“Music is one of his few creative outlets,” Robin proclaimed loud enough for him to comfortably hear from the basement, “We can’t take everything away from him!”

Robin doesn’t stand up for him much these days. As Sebastian fantasized about what his life would have been like without Demetrius, he fixated on the rushing yet peaceful river before him. The sound of the water hitting the rock shores always made him feel relaxed.

_Maybe I need to do this in the morning more often,_ he thought as he took another drag from the Junimo Spirit. _This is a nice way to start the day._

As Sebastian got closer to the butt of the cigarette, he noticed something in the water before him that he had never seen before, but was a sight he wouldn't get out of his head for years to come.

_Blood._

There was a lot of it; more than anything that a fish or small animal could produce. Sebastian watched the crimson cloud flow past him, taking over the serene site like a diffusing virus. Whatever the source of the blood was, it was upstream, possibly near Linus’ camp. Sebastian flicked away the butt before lifting himself off the rock. He didn’t really want to find the source, but if something happened to Linus, he would never forgive himself for not investigating. Linus had been living behind their house for about a year now. Robin was able to convince Demetrius, as the plot he stayed on was mostly unutilized and Linus held true to his word in staying away from their home.

Sebastian rounded the first bend of the river, still not finding a source, but the flow of blood in the river beside him was getting richer. He could see a small pillar of smoke rising from the top of the cliff ahead of him.

 _Linus is probably fine,_ Sebastian let out a light exhale, _Unless he accidentally slipped and fell from the top of the cliff._

He suddenly got a memory in his head; a time before Demetrius. Sebastian had just left toddlerhood and was playing with Robin in that small plot on top of the cliff. The sand was rich there, and made for making great sandcastles. After finishing the first structure, Robin had tasked him with finding sticks to make a protective wall around it. As she prepped the plastic shovels for the next sand structure, Sebastian got lost in his imagination, pretending each stick in front of him was a massive log pulped specifically for his majesty's protective use. As Sebastian wandered his mind, he was suddenly yanked out by Robin, grabbing the back of his black polo. He was just a half step away from tumbling off of the 15 foot cliff face.

Returning to his present moment, Sebastian turned the second river bend. Before him was a massive boulder, which seemed to teasefully block view of whatever was producing the stream of blood. It was at this point that Sebastian realized that he was shaking all over, and probably was since he first spotted the blood.

 _It’s just a bear._ Sebastian told himself in his head as he slowly started around the boulder. _It’s just a bear. It’s just a bear._

It wasn’t. Instead, the source of the bloody river made Sebastian want to scream as loud as he could. However, all that could come out was dry, coarse air. What lied before him was a torso. A human torso. _Just_ a human torso. The bruised and mangled chest could not grasp Sebastian’s horror more than the bloody stumps where the head, arms, and legs should have been. What was once a neck was the area producing the most blood, slowly draining into the shallow bank like a leaky faucet. Sebastian stood about three feet from the gory remains, which was closer than where he wanted to be. He frantically tried to shuffle back, but nothing could prepare him for the rock he stood on to give way. Sebastian fell forward, landing directly on top of the bloody mass. The weight off his body sent blood spraying out of every amputated site. Blood from the neck went all over his chin, the arms onto his black jacket, the legs onto his ragged sneakers.

It was at this point that Sebastian began to scream.

* * *

_**One Week Earlier...** _

Two flies danced with each other around a warm ceiling lamp, their dances so gracefully choreographed; it’s as if their movements were their way of communicating with each other. Eddie watched as the flies landed for a few moments on his popcorn ceiling before lifting themselves once more to repeat the process. As he readjusted on his lumpy couch, Eddie thought to himself if the rough, patchy ceiling hurt the flies' small legs as they landed seemingly with such force. His wandering thoughts were interrupted by his transistorized television, which played a music video that Eddie was unfamiliar with.

It was a cover of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” and included three copies of a blonde woman dancing on a beach near a dazzling pier with a ferris wheel. The images hypnotized Eddie and he fell into a beautiful fantasy, longing to be on the same beach.

_The Zu doesn’t have beaches like that_ , Eddie thought as he closed his eyes, _always warm and picturesque._

Zuzu City didn’t have any beaches open to the public for that matter. The metropolitan region had a history of polluting and mistreating the water, leading to the county to restrict all access. The cove that the city lies on is now primarily used as a reservoir, only to be gazed upon from a distance.

Despite the poor quality speakers built into the aged TV, Eddie got lost in the music, fixating on the ceiling lamp being used as a home base for his two house flies. Eddie found his fingers playing with the waistband of his boxers. Other than a dirty t-shirt, it was the only piece of clothing he was wearing at the moment.

 _Again?_ He pondered, trying to figure out how many times he had pleasured himself that day.

The beautiful music and his focus were pierced by the loud noise of his ringing, corded phone. The phone was on the opposite side of Eddie’s studio apartment. This sole reason was enough for Eddie to already be angry with the person.

_Who could be calling this late?_ Eddie let out a frustrated exhale as he lifted himself up from his couch and stumbled across his apartment to the phone. He lifted the phone that was probably older than his TV from the receiver, bringing it to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Eddie...Is that you?”

He hadn’t heard from his cousin in at least five years. They had grown up in the same town about an hour north of Zuzu City. They lost touch after they went to their own respective colleges.

“Brooke? Brooke! How are you doing? How have you been?” He said as he clawed chip dust out of his scraggly beard.

“Not great to be honest, Eddie. Not great.”

Eddie could suddenly hear the sadness in her voice. This call was probably not good. “What’s wrong?”

“Eddie...Grandpa died last night. I tried calling you earlier, but you didn’t answer.”

Eddie began thinking about what he was doing earlier in the day. _Probably masturbating._

“Brooke...Brooke I am so sorry I didn’t answer. Are you okay?” Eddie found his voice trembling. It was a lot of information to take in.

“I’m alright. I’m just on the E line right now kind of traveling aimlessly.”

Eddie knew that the E line ran right through the west side of the city, where he was currently located. _She’s made it to The Zu as well._

“Listen, I know it’s late. And I know it’s been a while since we last talked...but would you maybe want to get a drink or something?”

Eddie didn’t have the heart to tell her in that moment that he was trying to give up alcohol and marijuana. They had essentially ruined his life. He suddenly got an image in his head of Ol’ Martha’s Diner two blocks from his apartment. They had really cheap food and was one of the last local owned places in town that was open 24 hours.

“I don’t go to bars too much these days. But I know this great diner right off the E line that has some purple-star-quality pancakes.” Eddie could feel a noticeable change in Brooke’s demeanor through the phone.

“That sounds great. What’s the place called?”

“Ol’ Martha’s. On Wescott & Hope.”

“I can be there in ten minutes.”

“I’ll see you then.” Eddie heard the call end but stood in his place long after.

Eddie began circling through a triage of memories of day trips he used to take as a kid to Grandpa’s farm in Stardew Valley. He remembers being lifted into the air like a plane, being dangled in front of one of Grandpa’s finest cows, giving them their favorite snacks. Many times during his trips, Brooke would be there as well. They were really close as kids. Eddie finally was able to step away from the phone long enough to collect himself. Brooke was going to be at Ol’ Martha’s in just ten minutes, and he had a lot to do beforehand. The first thing to do was to put on pants…

* * *

Brooke’s hair changed a lot since Eddie last saw her. Shortly after they graduated from high school; Brooke had short maroon hair. She used to dye it every 6 months and usually kept it in the realm of reds. Brooke has since returned to her natural brunette color, as well as letting it grow well past her shoulders. It was different, but Eddie thought she looked good.

She was standing over the jukebox as Eddie walked through the main door of Ol’ Martha’s. Eddie remembered when Martha first got the jukebox. He had just had his first day at Police Academy. He had been sitting at the bar, having his usual dinner when the delivery man dropped the machine off in a large box. He remembers Martha’s face glowing as soon as she saw the massive box from her service window, rushing out with utmost enthusiasm, despite her nearly devoid physique.

“It’s here. I can’t believe it finally came.” She had jumped up and down with glee.

The delivery man had been in a rush and couldn’t stay around to help install it. Fortunately, he left behind a manual and all the spare parts needed. Eddie decided to stay late and help Martha set it up. He had had a long day, but couldn’t let Martha try to set it up all by herself. _And she had looked so excited._

Ol’ Martha herself had passed away about four months ago. She was at the ripe age of 86 and was a staple on the west side of Zuzu City. Her funeral was attended by many family, friends, and loyal patrons of her diner over the years. Her son, Jeremiah, took over the restaurant shortly thereafter and did a good job, though there was a noticeable difference in food quality, the diner never appeared to lose its charm. Eddie sometimes likes to think that Martha’s ghost still hangs around the diner, igniting the energy that drew Eddie back to it some dozens of times a year.

Brooke turned her head to see Eddie at the entrance and gave the biggest smile. She seemed genuinely happy to see him. The moment felt like an awkward yet comfortable and welcomed reunion. Brooke turned her head back to the jukebox, scanning through a few pages. The neon blue light glowed off her face as she gave another big grin, clearly finding the song she was looking for. She dropped two quarters into the machine before a song began playing that sent a chill down Eddie’s spine.

The song was Ricky Nelson’s “Fools Rush In”. It was their grandfather’s favorite song. As the high-tempo music filled the near empty diner, Brooke made her way to Eddie, extending her arms for a hug. He met her halfway, embracing and feeling love that could only come from a family member one genuinely had an unconditional connection with.

“I missed you so much.” She said into Eddie’s stained sweatshirt.

“Brooke..I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad he isn’t suffering anymore”

“Do you wanna sit down?”

“Oh...yeah!” She said as if she had forgotten they were in a diner.

As Eddie gestured to a nearby window booth, he became caught in a stare with Jeremiah, who stood behind the counter clutching a set of menus. The new owner gave a light smirk before starting after them, reaching the table by the time they were fully seated.

“Hey Eddie. Great seeing you again” Jeremiah said, laying out menus in between the two.

“Likewise,” Eddie threw his glance from the owner to his cousin, “Brooke, this is Jeremiah. He owns this place!”

Brooke glanced up at the tall, freckle faced man standing before her. “Nice to meet you! Where is Ol’ Martha?”

“Unfortunately, she passed on from this life some months ago.” Jeremiah said, as if he was used to answering the question at this point.

“Oh. I am so sorry-”

“Don’t be,” Jeremiah interrupted her insistently. “She lived a very good life. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

“We actually just lost our grandfather yesterday,” Brooke said, trying to empathize while reserved.

“Oh! Dear, I am so sorry,” Jeremiah said gently with genuine kindness before turning to Eddie, “I’m gonna throw in some of our famous pancakes on the house.”

Eddie was surprised by this gesture. Since Jeremiah took over the business, these types of deals were unheard of, at least from what he encountered. “Jer, totally not necessary.”

“I insist. I’ll get those going for you guys.” He smiled before turning back toward the counter, leaving the seated pair to themselves.

“You seem to be a regular here?” Brooke smirked playfully.

“Yeah. I’ve been coming here a few times a week since moving to the west side.” Eddie felt humbled by how easy it was to still talk to her.

“I didn’t know you were here in The Zu. I moved here about six months ago.”

“Yeah, I’ve been here just about a year.” Eddie thought about the year from hell he had. “What have you been doing?”

Brooke laughed as she shook her head, “It’s nothing too exciting. I’ve been working in Joja’s corporate offices.”

Eddie involuntarily chuckled at this, “Joja? As in Joja Mart?”

“Yeah. I told you it wasn’t anything exciting.”

“What happened to film school?” Eddie remembered the last time he saw Brooke, eagerly jumping into her jeep, ready to drive to her far-away arts college.

“It wasn’t what I expected it to be. I dropped out after my sophomore year.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Why?” Brooke’s grin got bigger, keeping the conversation light, “I’m not. It was so fucking restricting. I screamed at my advisor and was off like a prom dress.”

“What did you do after? Move home?”

“Hell no. I don’t talk to my parents much anymore. I travelled around a bunch before ending up outside of Boston. I worked at Joja Mart for a good couple years before being asked to move to The Zu to work in corporate.” Brooke’s enthusiasm trailed off as she explained her past few years. It was easily noticeable, “How about you, Mr. Honors Student. What have you been up to?"

Eddie wanted to tell her everything, even the ugly parts. The Police Academy. The rooftop. The benders. He kept these stories from pouring out of his mouth. _Now isn’t the time._ “I’m in between jobs right now. Been paying for my apartment with my savings.”

Jeremiah interrupted them with two plates of short stack pancakes. “Ol’ Martha’s famous pancakes. Fresh off the pan.”

The smell of the award winning meal filled the space between the two cousins. Eddie could see Brooke begin to tear up. It was the first time he had seen her sad since the conversation began.

“Do you remember the maple syrup Grandpa made from the trees on his farm. It was some of the best maple syrup I’ve ever had,” Brooke lamented as she inspected the golden discs in front of her.

“He’s really gone isn’t he?”

“Yeah. And I still beat myself up for not calling him more.”

“You can’t beat yourself up Brooke. This was totally unexpected. Besides, I wasn’t the best at keeping in touch with him either.”

“It doesn’t make any of this better.” She bowed her head, staring at her untouched pancakes.

“Do you know when the funeral is?”

“This weekend…” Eddie could see her eyes watering.

“Brooke?”

“Eddie...Grandpa’s death isn’t the only reason I wanted to talk to you.”

Eddie could feel the tone of the conversation shifting greatly. The tension was palpable. “What is it?”

“The six months I’ve been in The Zu have not been good. I’ve been through a ton of shit and Grandpa’s death is the last fucking thing I needed.” Brooke was getting more lost in her emotions, making them more visible. “I quit my job today.”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Brooke began to quietly ponder. Eddie could tell there was something else she wanted to tell him.

“What is it, Brooke?”

“I got a call from Grandpa’s lawyer this morning. He left his entire farm to the two of us.”

Eddie’s skin went cold. _How many phone calls did I miss today?_

“He hasn’t lived on the farm in years, ever since he was put into that home.” Brooke finally took the first bite out of her pancakes. “Jesus Christ, these are fucking good pancakes.”

Eddie chuckled. Brooke always knew how to pop a bad conversation like a bubble. “He left us everything?”

“What’s left of it.”

“Why?”

“Who else would he give it to? Both your parents passed away years ago and my parents live outside of Boston.” Brooke took another bite out of her pancakes.

Eddie began to cycle through all of the ways he could use the money from selling the farm. It could be his ticket to get back on his feet. Brooke’s next statement caught him off guard.

“I’m moving there after the funeral.” The light energy she reignited moments ago flew away once more.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What…”

“Like I told you Eddie, some really fucked up shit has happened since I moved here. I don’t really want to get into too many details.”

He understood that part. Zuzu City was not a good place. He knew that through his own experiences. “Stardew Valley though...really?”

“I know. I know it’s in the middle of nowhere. But, I think it could be really good for me.”

Eddie continued to reel deeper in his mind, grasping onto reality by mere fingers. He became lost in memories of Eddie and Brooke running on the beach, digging their toes into the wet sand as the salt water engulfed their ankles, their grandpa watching from afar.”

“Eddie?”

He snapped awake from his daydream. “Sorry...yes?”

“Do you want to come with me?”

“Where?”

“To Stardew Valley?”

The question caught Eddie off-guard. He hadn’t seen Brooke in half a decade. Yet, here she was asking him to move with her to a rural town they had only been to a handful of times. “Come on Brooke...I don’t know the first thing about farming.”

Brooke giggled, once more breaking the bad energy of the conversation. It was humbling. “Me neither. But, I figured it would be a new challenge. A new opportunity to get away from some demons.”

Eddie thought back again to his past year in Zuzu City. He certainly had some demons of his own to get away from. _But could I really just get up and leave The Zu overnight?_ He thought about his apartment, the two house flies, Ol’ Martha, and her award winning pancakes. It was at this point that Eddie realized he hasn’t taken one bite of the stack in front of him. Quietly and focused, he cut a piece and stuck it in his mouth.

“Eddie...what do you say?” Brooke looked at him with her intoxicatingly hopeful eyes.

He smiled, taking the leap. “Let’s do it.”


	2. The Trouble With Tall Grass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the discovery of a heinous crime, the citizens of Stardew Valley cope with intense fallout of the knowledge that a killer may be among them. Meanwhile, two outsiders from Zuzu City arrive; bringing with them intense tribulations, playful romance, and a supernatural energy that rocks the town to its core.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the exception of two major original characters, most everyone in this story is a product of ConcernedApe's great character development and world building. Minor creative liberties have been taken to fit within my narrative better, however what you are about to read is a product resulting from a deep love for the original content it is based on.

_**Spring, Day 1** _

Robin watched as Demetrius got dressed in front of the vanity mirror. They just finished having sex, which felt particularly passionless considering the tumultuous evening they had the day prior. Robin wasn’t able to get much sleep, so that probably also contributed to it. Her mind raced as her eyes followed Demetrius across the room toward their closet where he kept his lab clothing. His demeanor was shockingly calm the previous night. Robin appreciated this in some aspects. It was helpful to have an emotional rock next to her as they watched Lewis and Harvey take care of the scene. She just wished he had helped her console Sebastian.

“You have a busy day ahead of you?” She said, sitting up and letting her chest rise above the sheets. The cool spring air felt crisp against her breasts.

“Yeah, unfortunately. Zuzu University expects me to have the winter report into them by tomorrow.” He lowered his head, knowing this would upset her.

“God Demetrius. Can’t you explain to them that our family is kind of going through a crisis right now?” She could feel her tone getting harsh. She was frustrated.

“I’m sorry Robin. This is one of those few exceptions that I can’t put off.”

“It feels like you’re saying that more often.”

Demetrius sunk his shoulders, clearly not wanting to get into a fight. At this point, he had his lab coat on and was seated on the foot of the bed. “This is about last night isn’t it?”

“Sebastian can’t handle this all by himself, and I can’t be the only one there for him either.”

“I know...I know. This is all just happening at a really fucking inconvenient time.” It wasn’t often that Robin heard Demetrius swear. This was the first genuine outburst of frustration she saw from him since they found the torso.

“What the hell are we gonna do Demetrius? I mean...I have never been through something like this before.”

“Me neither. I can’t imagine what Sebastian is going through.” Demetrius dropped his head to the floor for a moment before having an idea. “How about this weekend I fire up the Ford and take kids camping in the Calico Desert?”

Robin smiled at this. This was the Demetrius she fell in love with. “That sounds like a great idea. Get them out of town for a few days.”

“I don’t think Sebastian is in a talking mood right now, but I’ll bring up the idea to him in the next few days,” Demetrius said as he stood up.

Their bedside phone began to ring, briefly startling Robin. This was quickly overtaken by excitement. Demetrius had just bought the cordless phone, and Robin was excited to try it out for the first time. She lifted the phone from its receiver, bringing it to her ear. 

“Hello?”

“Robin! Good morning! Hope I’m not waking you.”

She was surprised to hear Mayor Lewis on the other end of the line. _What was he doing calling this early?_ “No, you didn’t wake me. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Oh good. I really need to talk to you. Something unexpected has come up.” 

Robin was expecting this to be about the torso. _Maybe they identified the body_ . _Maybe they found out who did it._ “What is it?”

“I’m not sure if you heard the news in the craziness of this weekend’s events. But Ol’ Leonard Renwick passed away.”

Robin was disappointed she wasn’t getting filled in on the heinous scene discovered on her property, but she was sad nonetheless. Lenny was beloved in the town. “Oh Lewis. I’m so sorry. I know you and Lenny were close.”

“Aw, I appreciate it Robin. Lenny had been on the fence for years. None of us were too surprised,” Lewis cleared his throat, “Anyways, I’m calling you because Lenny left his farm to his grandchildren and they are arriving in about an hour.”

“Are they selling it?”

“To my understanding, they intend to stay.”

This caught Robin by surprise. Since Lenny was moved to a home, the farm had fallen into complete disrepair. It had become quite a hangout for the local teens, her son included. “Jesus. Props to them.”

“I’m not sure they know quite the level of dilapidation the property is in, which is why I was hoping you could join me and make them aware of your resources.”

Robin wasn’t excited of the idea of getting out of bed so early, especially after a rough night of sleep. But, newcomers to Stardew Valley always brought the prospects of new business. “Sure. Do you want me to meet you at the farm?”

“Nah, Pam gave them a ride from Zuzu City. Why don’t you just meet me at the bus stop and we can greet them together.” 

“Sounds great. I’ll see you there.”

“I really appreciate it Robin.”

She could hear a rustling on his end, as if he was going to hang up the line. “Wait, Lewis!”

“Yeah?”

“Has anything developed at all? You know, about the torso?”

“I haven’t had any time to think about it since all of it has transpired. Harvey is taking care of the body today and I planned on stopping by after we’re done welcoming the newcomers.”

Robin almost asked if she could join, but deemed it likely inappropriate. “Okay. Just wondering. Thanks Lewis.”

“I’ll definitely keep you updated Robin. I hope Sebastian is doing alright.”

“He’s doing the best he can after what he went through.”

“Glad to hear. See you in an hour.”

Before Robin could give the last word, she heard the closing click. Her first call on a cordless phone had proved to be underwhelming. _Chores_ . _That’s all there is to do around here. Chores._

“Was that Lewis?” 

She had completely forgotten that her husband was in the room with her. “Yeah. Newcomers are moving onto Renwick Farm.”

“Are you kidding? It’s such a wreck.”

“You’re telling me. Could be good business though.”

“Well hopefully they’re less insane than Old Man Lenny. What a nutbag.” The words unexpectedly stabbed into Robin. Lenny had been in her life since she was a young kid. Her family used to use his food to make a dazzling thanksgiving spread. She decided to let the remark slide. _It's not the time to fight._

“I told Lewis I’d welcome them at the bus stop. It’ll give me something to take my mind off all the yellow tape outside.”

“That sounds great honey. I’ll maybe have Maru make dinner when she gets home from work. I love you.”

He tenderly knelt on the bed near her, pulling her up into a kiss. It was the first genuinely romantic moment they had since everything went south the day prior. They both could feel it.

“Does your work have to start right now?” Robin smirked, letting the sheets fall further to release more of her torso.

“I can maybe be a few minutes late,” Demetrius smiled, flinging off the lab coat and joining his naked wife in bed.

* * *

Brooke pressed her face against the glass window to get a better look at a flock of heron’s flying over the lush entrance to Stardew Valley. Never in her life had she seen a picturesque and green landscape so early in the spring. It made her excited for the future and eager to start her new life. She leaned back in her seat thinking about what the farm looked like now. Grandpa had left the farm to live in an assisted living home about four years ago, but up until then he had taken immaculate care of it. 

_There is probably gonna be some overgrown grass. Maybe some invasive wildlife._ Brooke fantasized further, _It’s nothing that can’t be taken care of in a couple weeks._

She looked over at her cousin, who was fast asleep in a seat across the aisle of the empty bus. His chin was hanging down toward the black backpack in his lap. Brooke couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Eddie’s thick eyebrows and scraggly beard made him look a lot more intense than he actually was. She knew Eddie from the years he was beardless and totally shy around anyone he wasn’t familiar with. They really did have a sibling dynamic all through childhood; camping trips in Eddie’s backyard, seeing premieres at the local megaplex, and all the secrets they shared with each right up until they parted ways to go to college.

Brooke turned her gaze toward the bus driver, who was focused on the winding road laying before her. She had tight, artificial curls that were clearly the result of a cheap perm. She wore a thick layer of colorful makeup on her face, clearly hiding a worn figure beneath. Her appearance told so much about her personality, and Brooke loved it. 

Wanting to break the long drawn silence and leave her cousin to nap peacefully, Brooke decided to venture to the front of the bus and chat with the eccentric looking driver. The woman seemed happy at Brooke’s presence while not taking her focus off the road.

“How are you doing, hon?” The driver said with the thickest bus driver accent Brooke had ever head

“Doing alright. It’s a longer drive to the Valley than I was anticipating.” Brooke said this with kindness and sarcasm in her voice so not to throw any shade toward her great driving.

“You’re telling me. I used to do this route every Wednesday and Friday. It was awful. Absolutely jack shit between the city and the Valley.” The driver’s personality was intoxicating.

“You don’t do the drive anymore?”

“Only for special occasions. Like picking up you and your friend back there.”

“Well, it’s appreciated nonetheless. I’m Brooke.”

“Name’s Pam.”

“Do you live in Stardew Valley, Pam?”

“Sure do. I’ve lived there all my life.”

“Wow! Incredible! Is Stardew Valley as magical as I remember it from my childhood?”

“It certainly has its hidden charms. The town has been in a bit of a recession the past few years. It’s kind of been hurting local business.”

The words didn’t sit with Brooke well. This is stuff she didn’t want to find out as they were literally driving into the town limits. “Really? I am so sorry to hear.”

“It’s alright, hon. It isn’t a total hell hole. Joja Mart opened shop about two year ago and has really done a good job holding the town above water. I work there stocking shelves whenever I’m not driving.”

Pam’s lament sent Brooke further into a quiet spiral. She just quit her job at Joja and didn’t even want to consider going back to work with them. _If the farm thing falls through, I can’t go back. I just can’t_.

“How about you, hon? What incited you and your friend to move here?” Pam was getting more adventurous with taking her eyes off the road.

“My grandfather left his farm to the both of us.”

“No shit! He wouldn’t happen to be Lenny Renwick would he?”

“He is! You know him?”

“Of course! Everyone in town knew ol’ Lenny. He had the biggest property in town. Really sad about his passing, but glad he doesn’t have to spend another minute in an assisted living home.” Pam’s words were blunt, but Brooke appreciated the genuine remorse she expressed.

“Yeah. He had a good long life.”

“Well I hate to cut this conversation short, hon. But, we are basically here. You may want to wake up your friend.

“Of course! Thanks again Pam.” Brooke ventured back toward Eddie, who was still shockingly asleep despite Pam’s bold moves around the increasingly tight corners. She tapped her cousin on the shoulder, waking him up in a confused daze.

“Are we already there?”

“Yeah doofus. You slept the whole way.”

“That’s the way to do it.” He gave a dorky smile, clearly proud of his slumbering skills.

The bus made its final bend of the trip into a beautiful wooded grove. A gray bus stop sign stood to the right, indicating the gateway to their new life. Near the sign, Brooke could see a portly man sporting suspenders next to a younger woman with cute red hair. Brooke found her eyes drifting toward the young woman. She seemed lively, attractive, and fun.

Pam ground the vehicle to a halt, signaling that it was okay for Brooke and Eddie to get off the bus. As Brooke’s feet hit the pavement, the portly man started toward them. 

“Brooke! Eddie! Welcome to Stardew Valley!” His demeanor was light and dad-like. Despite this, Brooke could sense some artificialness in his voice. “My name is Lewis. I’m the mayor of this fine community.”

The red headed woman had held back, which was unfortunate as Brooke was much more interested in her. She eventually started forward, a bit more timidly and real. “My name’s Robin. I’m the local carpenter.”

Brooke liked seeing a female carpenter. There aren’t enough women in the field and she seemed to be a testament to the town’s progressive nature. “It’s very nice to meet both of you!”

“How was your trip from Zuzu City?” Lewis asked, clearly as a formality.

“It was great. Beautiful views as we were coming in.” Brooke spoke authoritatively over her cousin, knowing he slept the whole way here.

“That’s great! Pam is a great driver and her services are vital to the town.”

Almost seemingly choreographed, Pam exited her bus, moving past the awkward conversation happening outside. “Nice meeting y’all. Lewis, give my paycheck to Penny. She’ll take care of it. I need a beer.” And with that Pam disappeared out of the area.

“Well, Renwick farm is just around the corner! Why don’t we head there now?” Lewis was quick to take charge of the crowd, and this bothered Brooke.

 _Why are we getting such a welcome wagon._ She thought as the group proceeded toward the farm. She decided to sidetrack herself by eyeing the gorgeous redhead walking ahead of her, wondering if she was single. She certainly seemed young enough.

“We are all very sorry to hear about your grandfather’s passing.” Lewis said, unnecessarily bringing the mood down.

“Yes! He was such an icon of the town!” Robin butted in as if she was aware of how quiet she was during the entire encounter.

“Oh. Thank you. He had such a big turnout for his funeral. It was a very nice ceremony.” Eddie lamented this as Brooke admired his ability to keep the conversation light. It was a very nice funeral, and Grandpa would have been proud at the turnout.

As the group walked down the trail heading toward Renwick farm, numerous cop sirens could be heard speeding down by the nearby auto road. It created an abrasive sound that made Brooke uncomfortable. “Eventful weekend?”

“You wouldn’t believe it.” Robin spoke and was immediately met with a death glare from Lewis.

“Oh? What happened?” Eddie’s curiosity spoke for Brooke.

“Uh...well…” Lewis was clearly nervous, “We had a crime happen this weekend that’s a little out of local law enforcement’s capability to deal with.”

This comment piqued Brooke’s curiosity. She had just met this strange pair of local citizens, and already they were holding a secret. “What was it, a murder or something?”

“You could say that.” Robin bursted out, clearly much to the dismay of the mayor based on his continued glares.

“Nothing you need to worry about. We have it totally under control.” Lewis butted into the conversation, and a palpable tension between him and Robin seemed to surface from the ground they were walking on.

The extremely awkward conversation was halted once the group turned the final bend toward what was left of Renwick Farm. The sight that befell before Brooke was not what she fantasized about on the bus; not even close. Instead, what lied before her was a barren, weedscape of a wasteland. Dozens and dozens of ugly trees littered the property, blocking any sort of scenic cliff faces Brooke remembered as a kid. The farmhouse and its nearby cabin were clearly worn down and there was no doubt in her mind that they would have problems with leaks whenever it rained. Above all the problems, the grass seemed to tower taller than Brooke thought was scientifically possible. The grass was so tall that different height sections of the grass had different colors, as if the invasive grass was able to stay alive for years despite the area’s harsh winters.

Brooke shot a glance toward Eddie, who clearly was sharing similar sentiments, before turning Mayor Lewis. “Jesus...this place is not what I remember it being.”

“Yeah…” Lewis clearly seemed nervous, “Lenny seemed to really let the place dive into the ground.”

Brooke wasn’t about to take this bullshit response. “Ever sense I got on that fucking bus, all anyone around here has been able to talk about is how much they loved my grandfather. You expect me to accept the fact that everyone in the town let this place fall to shit?”

Everyone around her was clearly dumbfounded by her anger, including Eddie. Lewis was the first to speak up, “Well Ms. Brooke, Stardew Valley has fallen into a bit of a recession since your dad moved away...everyone has been busy trying to keep afloat…” Lewis trailed off, aware that his words were not helping the newcomers’ frustration.

Brooke eyed the same maple tree across the property that her Grandpa used to take her to extract syrup. The tree was now rotting and this sent an awful chill down her spine. _This was going to take months to revive._

The quiet Robin finally spoke up, taking a clanking leather backpack from behind her and setting it down on the ground, prepared to show it off. “I supplied some tools to help you guys out. They aren’t great quality, but our local blacksmith may be able to help you spruce them up if the need arises.”

Brooke appreciated the kind gesture, despite it doing little to alleviate her initial shock. Renwick Farm was in such disrepair. The distant glass greenhouse her grandpa used to idolize was now shattered into many large chunks. Black, spray paint graffiti covered the sides of it like a non-consented tattoo.

Lewis lifted his wrist to look at his grandfather's watch, lifting his eyebrows haphazardly, pissing Brooke off further. “Well, I am deeply sorry to duck out so soon on you all. I’m wanted at the local doctor’s office.” Lewis tossed a set of rusty keys to the Carpenter, who clumsily caught it, “Robin, please show them their living quarters. I trust you both will eventually be comfortable here. Take care, and welcome again.” Lewis briskly started back up the trail, leaving the three to themselves. This was the first time Brooke felt a small glimmer of happiness since arriving on the property.

“I am really sorry about the state of the farm you guys.” Robin showed real genuine sorrow, nearly a perfect contrast from her portly counterpart. “I think I have a box of old parsnip seeds in my shed I can drop off to you tomorrow morning. Seriously, please let me know any updates and modifications you want and I can help you walk through the whole thing.” Robin could tell the newcomers were shocked, “Listen, why don’t I go unlock the farmhouse and cabin for you guys and let you talk privately.”

“That would be really great.” Brooke said curtly but controlled. Robin gave a slight, obligated smile before starting toward the distant, dilapidated farmhouse. 

The cousins were now alone for the first time since leaving Zuzu City. Brooke looked worryingly to Eddie, who had been amazingly quiet during this entire reveal. Despite not being vocal, she could see a very visible shock and frustration on her scraggly cousin’s face. She just wanted him to say something, give some indication of what he was thinking about the whole situation. Brooke watched as Eddie bowed his head toward the ground before looking directlu into Brooke’s eyes with genuine worry.

“Fuck…”

* * *

In reality, Lewis was not needed at Harvey’s for another hour, but he could not get out of there fast enough. In hindsight, he knew that he should have given the cousins advance notice on the state of the farm, but he had plenty on his plate already. As he continued up the dirt trail toward Pelican Town, the grotesque images of the torso creeped back into his mind. Lewis hadn’t slept even one hour the night prior because of the image, and he was sure Harvey wasn’t able to get one second of sleep in.

Lewis had been having such a great morning prior to getting Robin’s frantic call. He had been taking a footbath and was watching the latest recorded episode of _General Hospital_ when he was filled in on the torso. He met Harvey up by the boulder on Robin and Demetrius’ property and was simply traumatized by the sight. Sebastian had been curled in a fetal position next to Robin, who was coddling him as she desperately tried to wipe the anonymous person’s blood off his neck. Harvey had been silent the whole time, not even sharing a glare toward Lewis.

The Mayor reached the edge of Pelican Town now and could see a small, gentle pillar of smoke coming from Harvey’s office. Lewis genuinely knew just as little as Robin did and was eager to find out if Harvey was able to discover anything more about the unidentified torso since his departure yesterday evening.

Lewis was shocked as he approached Harvey’s front door, as there were no cop cars from Zuzu City like during the night prior. _Surely they couldn’t have already left._ He proceeded onward through the front door into the waiting room. Maru sat at the front desk, clearly tired but focused on whatever was on her computer screen. She eventually lifted her eyes and was shocked at his presence.

“Mayor Lewis! Good Morning! Sorry, I was reading up on some forensic science articles.”

“Nothing to worry about Maru. How are you holding up?”

“Best I can. I haven’t slept in more than 24 hours.”

“You should go take a nap now. If Harvey objects, let him know it was Mayor’s orders.”

Maru laughed at this proposal. “Like I could sleep right now…”

“Fair point. Am I okay to head back and see Harvey? I know I’m a little early.”

“Yeah. You should be fine. He finished up his autopsy a couple hours ago.”

“Fantastic. Thank you Maru.” Harvey was genuinely lucky to have a girl like Maru working for him.

He proceeded through the main double doors to the back section of the office. As he made his way down the hallway toward the operation rooms, he noticed a flickering light on the right side of the hallway. This provoked a memory of Harvey requesting additional funding from the city to fix the lighting. Lewis had rejected the proposal, which looking back was a stupid mistake on his part. It made the space gloomy and unprofessional. 

Lewis turned into the last door on the right into the massive operating room. Before him, he found an operating table covered with a large sheet. He knew an uneven, lumpy mass of a torso lied just beneath it. Harvey sat at a small desk in the far corner of the room. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and his eyes puffy. _He may have just finished crying_

“Mayor Lewis! I wasn’t expecting you for another hour.” Harvey stood up slowly. Lewis pitied the guy, he couldn’t imagine the operation he just performed. 

“I apologize Harvey. I can come back later if you would like.”

“No. No. It’s fine. I want to move this along as quickly as possible.” He came around the corner of his small desk and grabbed a stool from a nearby operation table. 

Lewis started toward the stool, noticing a spread of papers on the desk with feverishly written notes on. _Probably notes from the autopsy_. “Where are all the cops, Harvey?"

“A bridge collapsed in Zuzu City with a full bus of school children on it. I couldn’t fucking believe how quickly they all just left.” Harvey snapped this out, catching himself, “Sorry for swearing.”

“No matter, bud. Fill me in on what you know. Then you should send Maru home and get some rest yourself.”

Harvey sniffled, “Okay.” He sat in his small desk chair, turning to his first page of notes, “I cleaned all of the amputation sites and stopped the bleeding. It wasn’t an easy task, but I got it done.”

“We can’t thank you enough for your service, Harvey.”

“The torso belongs to a female. There were traces of a uterine wall that signified that the woman was pregnant at one point in her life.” Harvey ignored Lewis’ gesture, just wanting to get to the point.

“Awful. Just awful,” Lewis shook his head. “Did she die from the amputations?”

“There isn’t enough detail to know. I found an extremely high amount of Xanax in her system. Enough to probably sedate her.”

“And tell me more about the amputations.”

“They’re very uneven. However, they are precise enough that it was definitely not an animal. Whoever did this did it with haste and probably had zero knowledge of medical amputations.”

“Are there any significant sites where we could extract DNA? Just so we can maybe know who the poor victim is.”

“All of them were removed with the amputations.” Lewis could see Harvey’s eyes start to water as he said this, “Who would do something like this?”

“I don’t know Harvey. But we’re going to find out!”

“Really...because currently we have no cops on the case and potentially have a killer among us.”

“We don’t know that yet,” Lewis said this without any optimism, not even believing the statement himself. “Does anyone else in town know about this.”

“Unfortunately yes. Too many people saw the yellow tape and the word spread fast.”

“Shit. I really hope we don’t have a frenzy on our hands.” Lewis said this as he turned toward the covered lump on the operating table. They had no way of identifying who the torso belonged to. Lewis knew that this meant that they were going to have to wait, probably until someone reported someone missing. He was not looking forward to that day; not one bit.

* * *

Eddie had his clothes laid across the old, lumpy mattress of his cabin. Before Grandpa’s funeral, the cousin’s had settled on Brooke having the farmhouse, as she had more cash in the bank and more physical objects to bring with her. Eddie didn’t mind, his apartment in Zuzu City had been small and served him well. What bothered Eddie more than the sleeping arrangements was the state of the property itself. Brooke had been much more vocal about the matter than he had, and she said all that needed to be said. The town singlehandedly let the massive property run into the ground, and now him and his cousin were left to pick up the pieces.

He grabbed his stack of clothes and placed them into his bureau across the cabin, stopping at the old TV along the way. It was the same model as the one that came in his apartment, which humbled him. Unlike his apartment TV however was the channel options, which were only limited to four; weather, magic, cooking, and lifestyle. There was no MTV, no HBO, no porn. _This was going to be more difficult that I thought_.

As Eddie returned to his bed and sat on the end of it, eyeing the rotting ceiling of his new abode, a loud but non-aggressive knock rang up his door. He opened knowing damn well it was his cousin, but was still disgusted by the hellhole of a landscape that laid behind her.

“Are you tired?” She seemed determined, like she had a plan.

“Always.”

“Good one, smartass.” This sent a grin to his face, “I need a drink after seeing all of this. Too many memories, and too much rotting of those memories.”

This proposal made Eddie nervous. He was about two months sober, and he attributed most of that success to living alone and having no social life. He knew this was going to be his first real test of sobriety. “Can’t we go tomorrow?”

“Come on Eddie. I know you’re just as upset about this shit as I am. Let’s get a beer and take the edge off.”

This was the last response Eddie wanted to hear from her. He hadn’t filled her in on everything that happened in Zuzu City and didn’t want to go there yet. Perhaps he could get sidetracked with a patron and “forget” to order his beer. “Sure, let’s do it.”

“Great, throw your shoes on. I’m gonna smoke a cigarette.” She shut the door, leaving him to his own devices. 

Eddie moved to his suitcase, realizing that he stupidly packed his walking shoes at the bottom of the bag. He rifled through his clothes, sex toys, and smaller household items to reach his shoes, which were worn and ragged. _Tomorrow I need to get a new pair; if this farming thing is going to work._

He threw the shoes on and met his cousin on the front porch. Together, they started up the trail toward the town center. Brooke offered him a drag. He politely declined.

“What do you think all that fuss was about the police?” Brooke said, flicking the near finished cigarette to the ground.

“Judging by what Robin was saying, I’m thinking a murder.”

“This town just gets better by the minute.”

“Are you having second thoughts about moving here?”

“I don’t know Eddie. I just don’t know. The people here seem really fucking weird and off. I just don’t know.”

“Well...give it a couple days. Maybe the police thing wasn’t a murder and it was just a freak accident or something.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

The two reached the entrance of Pelican Town. Eddie could see the Stardrop Saloon in the distance. “Man, only one bar in the entire town.”

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Toto.” Brooke smiled, proud of her remark. As usual, she saved a conversation from becoming too heavy.

The cousins reached the front door, and Eddie was pleasantly surprised as they walked in. The bar had a warm environment, and was moderately busy. Two redheads, different from Robin sat at a table together on the far left. The bus driver who drove them into town stood near the bar, tall glass of beer in hand. An older man and a young, blue haired woman manned the bar, welcoming them as they walked in.

“Newcomers! Welcome to the Stardrop!” The older man gave a big grin. “I’m Gus. This is Emily.”

He gestured to the blue haired beauty, who gave a light wave, “Let us know if you need anything.”

Brooke started toward the bar, giving Eddie a small window to find a patron to distract himself with. He started toward Pam before seeing that the bar had an entire expanded game room to it. Playing at one of the game machines was a young woman, roughly the same age as him with lush purple hair. She seemed focused and determined at whatever game she was playing. This was enough for Eddie, who crossed the bar to her. He peered over her shoulder, eyeing the game she was feverishly playing. It involved a man running around and shooting monsters charging at him. It suddenly came to Eddie’s head that he was standing too close to the girl, but it was too late. She turned around, shooting him a look of bewilderment.

“Do you want a turn or something? Or are you just gonna stand there like a weirdo?” There was light playfulness in her voice, but still some annoyance.

“I’m sorry. I was just watching.”

The girl laughed. Eddie liked her smile a lot. “It’s fine. You made me lose though.”

“Yikes. Can I buy your next game?”

“Nah, don’t bother. This game is fucking impossible.”

“Really? It doesn’t look that hard.”

“Oh yeah, tough guy? Bet you a beer you can’t even make it thirty seconds.”

“Alright… you’re on.”

The purple-haired girl stepped off to the side with a smug look on her face. Eddie moved to the machine, pulling a nickel from his pocket and sticking it into the slot. The screen lit up, dazzling his eyes as monsters began toward his tiny player. He moved and began to shoot. He was dead within seconds. Shamefully, Eddie turned to the girl, who fell right into a chuckle. “Wow...I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone die in less than ten seconds.”

“I’m sure a ‘you were right’ doesn’t cut it?”

“I’ll take what I can get. I’m Abigail.”

“Eddie.”

“You’re one of the new farmers aren’t you?”

“In the flesh.”

“You arrived at a pretty fucking crazy time.”

“Yeah. I heard the sirens earlier. Do you know anything about that?”

Abigail went cold, lightly bowing her head before building up courage to confide, “One of my friends found a dismembered torso just north of the town square.”

In that moment, Eddie thought he and Brooke may have truly been in over their heads. “Jesus...Christ.”

“Yeah...This isn’t really good small talk. Why don’t I show you how to play this game properly.” Eddie noticed that Abigail possessed the same ability to lift conversations as Brooke.

“Sure.”

He gave Abigail her initial position in front of the machine. As she began to play again, Eddie let his gaze drift from the machine to his beer-sporting cousin, who also seemed to be talking up one of the bar patrons. He wore a blue sweatshirt and had a bad case of 5 o’clock shadow. The two of them were close enough where Eddie could hear their conversation clearly.

“Kind of annoying sirens going all day huh.” Brooke said clumsily. It was humbling to see her introduction skills hadn’t improved much since they were younger.

“Yeah. Really annoying.” The guy was clearly removed, fixated on his beer.

“Well...my name’s Brooke. I just moved on to Renwick Farm.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you. Can you buzz off please? I’m not really fond of newcomers.” His words seemed to really stab into Brooke. Eddie could see her posture slouch slightly, something he didn’t see in her often.

As she walked away from the asshole in the blue sweatshirt, she shot a pleading glare toward Eddie, making her way over to him. “Hey, can we go?”

“Go? We just got here.”

“Yeah, I realized I’m actually kind of tired.”

Eddie looked down at the large mug of beer in her hand, “Don’t you need to finish that.”

Accepting it as a challenge, Brooke brought the mug up to her lips, tilted her head back to a near 90 degree angle and let the mug drain into her mouth like a funnel in nearly fifteen seconds, “There now, let's go.”

Eddie, dumbfounded at the near superhuman feat that just took place before him, decided to give in, “Alright. It was nice meeting you Abigail” 

His new purple-haired friend turned from her game-over screen to him. “Likewise Eddie.”

He reached into his pocket and held up another nickel. “Here, this is for the game I made you lose.”

Abigail smirked, grabbing a nearby napkin and a pen from her pocket. “Why don’t you give me that nickel for my number, and you can get me that beer you owe me next time you’re in here.”

She handed him the napkin; a ten-digit number scrawled across it in beautiful creative penmanship. Eddie’s face lit up at the pleasant connection he made so quickly. “Sounds great.”

As Brooke yanked him out of the Stardrop Saloon and back toward their dumpster fire of a life, Eddie found himself a little bit closer to cloud nine than he was before. Maybe he and Brooke weren’t over their head. Maybe they were just at the right level.


	3. The Family Jewels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the discovery of a heinous crime, the citizens of Stardew Valley cope with intense fallout of the knowledge that a killer may be among them. Meanwhile, two outsiders from Zuzu City arrive; bringing with them intense tribulations, playful romance, and a supernatural energy that rocks the town to its core.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the exception of two major original characters, most everyone in this story is a product of ConcernedApe's great character development and world building. Minor creative liberties have been taken to fit within my narrative better, however what you are about to read is a product resulting from a deep love for the original content it is based on.

_**Spring, Day 2** _

Captain Starnet’s space destroyer flew past the glowing trees of Planet Gricon-X at a speed quicker than light. He had exactly 48 seconds to reach the iridium portal to Meteor Belt-7. Otherwise, he and his crew would be trapped on Gricon for 4 millenium. Following closely behind the 8-megaton destroyer trailed Dr. Nebula and his army of fighter pods. It was at this moment that Starnet realized the citizens of the Lexar Capitol knew of his heist and the intention of his visit. 

Starnet ordered his first mate, Lord Prisma to fire at will at first sign of hostility. This did not take long, as Dr. Nebula would be the one to personally fire the first blow at the ship. The cosmic space around the Starnet destroyer erupted into a cascade of purple and orange flame as the captain made the dramatic press onward. He could see the iridium portal in the far distance growing smaller and smaller. Prisma pressed the accelerator to its maximum position, exhausting all of the aged destroyer’s potential. The Captain and first mate watched as the area around them flooded with more and more Nebula Pods; their vessel inching closer to their one beacon of hope.

_Closer._

_Closer._

“VINCENT!” The tone in Sam’s voice snapped Vincent out of his daydream, bringing him back to the claustrophobic reality of the family Beemer. 

“What?” Vincent was genuinely confused as he eyed the toy Starnet Destroyer and Nebula Pod in front of the passenger window. 

“Please stop making those explosion sounds. I had to listen to it during the whole drive yesterday.” 

“Whatever. I was barely that loud.” Vincent rolled his eyes, shifting his focus back to his two space units he won during a competition at Space Camp. He briefly closed his eyes, attempting to return to the world of Captain Starnet. This attempt popped like a bubble as soon as high-bass alternative horseshit began blowing from all directions of the car, “SAM! STOP!”

“What’s that? I can’t hear you!” Vincent knew that his older brother could hear him, but was intentionally being a dick.

“You got to listen to your music the entire route to pick me up.”

Sam ignored him, instead opting to turn up the music. Vincent gave up at this point, knowing there was only so much that he could do in a car without his Mom around. The newly awarded space-cadet of the year lowered his toys from the window, giving up on his Captain Starnet adventure.

“What are we listening to anyway?”

“Good shit.”

“I’m telling Mom that you swore.”

“Yeah? What will that solve?”

“Maybe she’ll take away your stupid guitar.” Vincent could see Sam was upset by this statement. It was a good thing that they were driving, otherwise he may have been tackled. 

“You just don’t appreciate any kind of music that isn’t some tweenie bop.”

“It just sounds like music you would hear in a villain’s lair.” Vincent mentally entertained the idea of having Sam’s music be Dr. Nebula theme song. _That could be cool, actually._

“This is Skrillex. Do you know what Skrillex is?”

“Bad.”

Sam rolled his eyes at the smartass remark, “It’s dubstep. It’s the sound of the future.”

Vincent thought about a future where all radios played was dubstep. Not quite a bright looking future in his mind. “How much longer until we’re home?”

“Not long.”

The area they were driving through felt unfamiliar to Vincent. He had been gone the whole winter while at Space Camp in Presque Isle, Maine. The 8 week program was focused more on astronomy and beginners astrophysics than it was space travel. Despite this, Vincent and his camp buddies spent a good amount of their downtime coming up with extravagant sci-fi stories. It was during this time that Vincent thought up the dramatic battle between Captain Starnet and Dr. Nebula. He was sad to leave camp, but was also excited to get back to Stardew Valley. He missed his Mom and he missed Jas. He wondered how his best friend kept busy without him during the summer. _I’m sure her Mom kept her busy._

As the roads started to get more windy, more things became familiar. This made Vincent feel better. After passing a small line of departing police cruisers. they passed by the bus grove, mostly unutilized now that Pam stopped her runs. After this, they made their way through Pelican town. Vincent was humbled by how little changed. Their two day journey finally came to a close as Sam pulled into the driveway of their small blue home. Vincent couldn’t wait to start his Spring. As he climbed out of the car, he thought about all of the things he and Jas were gonna do. Finding a way into the sewer system was the first item on his list. 

Vincent burst through the front door as Sam stayed behind to collect bags. “MOM! I’m home! I’m home!” 

He gleefully circled the living room and kitchen searching for his mom. The first sign that something different was the smell of burnt fish, which seemed to linger quietly throughout the house. This came as odd to him, as his Mom’s disdain for fish was well known to the family. 

Vincent dropped his backpack next to his bed before moving to the staircase. “Mom! Are you upstairs?” He could hear the light purr of a soundtrack that he was well familiar with. _Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs_ was his mother’s favorite movie. The song playing from the master bedroom as Vincent ascended the stairs was the one played during his parents' wedding; he knew from watching their wedding video so many times.

“One Song” blared from stereo speakers as Vincent swung the bedroom door open, revealing one of the most peculiar sights the young boy had seen in his five years. The king size bed was not only unmade, but the sheets were thrown astrew, as if someone had been jumping up and down on it for a full hour. Vincent’s favorite painting in the house, the one of the rolling hills that hung above his parent’s bed, was heavily off kilter. Nothing weirded out Vincent more than the sound of running water that emanated from his parents’ en suite. He pushed the door open, revealing not one but both faucets running. Vincent thought back to the time Sam accidentally left the garden hose running for thirty minutes after he was done watering the front flowers. Mom lectured him about the cost of the water bill for at least an hour afterwards. 

He proceeded onward into the narrow bathroom, reaching high up to shut off both faucets. It was at that moment that Vincent saw a string of five pieces of what looked like white candy strewn across the counter. He lifted one up, seeing the word _Xanax_ written across it. Vincent had never heard of this candy, but he was one of the few kids in his school who didn’t really have a sweet tooth, leading him to gently set it back on the counter. He didn’t know what to make of his discovery. All he knew is that his mom was nowhere to be found. _Maybe she is at Pierre’s, or decided to do a stroll on the beach_. 

Vincent ventured back downstairs, where his older brother was now unpacking suitcases in front of the laundry machine.

“Sam?”

“What?”

“Where’s Mom?”

* * *

Eddie’s sleeping dreams of the Kitty-Cat Car were cut short by a crash and a thud. He leaped from his bed, clad only in his dirty t-shirt and boxers, prepared to fight an incoming army. He krept to his bedroom not to find an army from across the sea, but rather his cousin cutting down a full grown pine tree. The tree itself was ugly, and Eddie was surprised Brooke had so much willpower so early in the day. He threw on some pants before moving outside. Brooke continued to swing the faded axe at the thick tree. She seemed focused.

“Hey!” Eddie paused, before trying again, “Hey!”

Brooke ignored him, continuing to swing.

“Brooke!”

“What?” She sounded frustrated. Eddie wasn’t sure what he did.

“Good morning…it’s 7AM.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Well, I didn’t know that was the time we started cutting down trees.”

Brooke stopped her swinging, walking past Eddie toward her farmhouse and taking off her gloves. “Eddie, do you see the state of this place? We are never gonna get it cleaned up if we sleep in until noon.”

Eddie knew deep down she was right, he just was dreading the idea of getting up at any time before 10 AM. Brooke could see his internal frustration.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get frustrated with you.”

“I totally understand, Brooke.”

She set her gloves down on top of one of their wooden chests. She looked exhausted already.

“Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know, Eddie. Moving here has not been what I thought it was going to so far.”

“I’m sure we can get through cleaning this mess up. I can get used to waking up earlier.”

“It’s not just that. The people here are mean and those fucking sirens really freaked me out. Like…this place is not quite the paradise I remember it being.”

“We haven’t even been here 24 hours, Brooke.” Eddie was trying his best to calm her down.

“I know...I know.” Brooke ran her hands through her long, wavy hair.

“I have one glimmer of a memory from when I came here. Grandpa told me that chickens are a big money maker. Why don’t we go get some pricing on some.”

“We need a coop first.”

“I know. We’re just getting a price. Then we can get a price for the coop. That way we can start doing some effective budgeting.” 

This seemed to ease Brooke. “Okay. That’s a good idea.”

Eddie smirked, “I can have those sometimes.”

This sent Brooke into a giggle, “I’m really happy we are in this together, Eddie.”

“Me too.”

Brooke started into her farmhouse before stopping and turning to her cousin, “Are you gonna call that girl?”

Eddie thought back to the conversation he had last night. Her number sat next to the rotary phone in the farmhouse. “I think so.”

“You should! Maybe when we get back.” Brooke then ended the conversation by going into the house.

In his cosmic dreams, Eddie forgot all about the girl with the purple hair he met over that seemingly impossible game. _Abigail_ . As he made his way back into his cabin, he thought to himself the best way to approach the phone call. It had been a while since Eddie last dated, and he wanted to make sure he moved things forward in a respectful yet honest manner. _Maybe she could show Brooke and I around town_. 

Everything around him felt so new and foreign. Eddie lived in cities all of his life. Never was he used to the clear air, the constant purr of cicadas, or the pure serenity one felt while walking down a town trail. Most of all; Eddie was never used to the quiet. Sure; there were the occasional sirens during the day. But at night, it was as if a massive switch controlled the town and dictated when it was time to sleep. The quiet wasn’t all good. In that first night, before the dreams of the Kitty-Cat Car, Eddie found the quiet left him with thoughts and memories, racing each other in a circle around his brain like the Nascar games he used to go to during college. He didn’t know if he would ever get used to the quiet. Part of him wished the sirens would continue into the evening. 

_Maybe it’s time to bring some noise into this town._ Eddie smiled at the thought. 

* * *

There were only two times in Sam’s life when he was genuinely scared. His father, being heavily involved with the war across the sea, always shared good advice with him and his brother on how to cope with fear. Sam’s courageousness was something he was proud of, and made him stand out amongst his friends.

The first time Sam was truly scared was the time that he fell into a river. It happened years ago, before Vincent was even born. His parents took him to the eastern bank of Pelican Town near Lewis’ house. The eastern stretch of the river was much deeper than the portion in front of their house. Sam had grown to love running from his front door into the rushing water while barefoot. It felt freeing and refreshing. These pleasant thoughts of the rushing water sent the young Sam careening toward the narrow body of water, escaping any sort of saving grasp from his parents. The young Sam approached the edge of the bank and leaped in, expecting his feet to meet the pebble floor he had grown to love. Instead, the naive toddler was met with a bottomless trench, formed within the stretch of river that separated Lewis’ house from the blacksmith. 

There wasn’t much from this memory that Sam remembers vividly. However, one image that never seemed to creep out of his brain was the black rings. As the toddler Sam had sunk to the bottom of the deep river, suffocating slowly, black rings appeared on the edges of his vision. Slowly, with malice; the rings grew larger, engulfing his eyes, making it more difficult to see. The terror Sam felt toward these rings could not be described. 

Moments after this happened, Sam felt himself being lifted up rapidly, dramatically breaking through the surface of the water and into the air. Jodi, his mother, was the one to rescue him, cradling him while sobbing as she carried the toddler back to the shore. Kent, his father, performed CPR once there, saving his life. Sam had spent the rest of the day in Harvey’s office, eating his favorite ice cream. He hasn’t stepped foot in a body of water since.

The second time Sam was truly scared was the evening after his father returned from his third deployment. This occurred shortly after Vincent was born. Combined with boot camp, his father had been in the army for about five years, with long break periods in between each of his deployments. Kent’s first two returns home were normal. His assignment was confidential, so the family didn’t really know anything that he was doing across the sea. In the Fall of Kent’s fifth year in the service, he was called for his third deployment, leaving the following week after an emotional parting with his family.

That following Spring, three weeks before Kent was slated to return home, Jodi received a call from the Zuzu City Army Base, notifying her that her husband would be returning home early after an “unexpected accident”. Jodi didn’t divulge any details of the accident to Sam, and arranged for him to have a sleepover at Sebastian’s. That evening, Sam couldn’t sleep, eagerly wanting to hug his father who had been away for months.

Being the courageous child he was, Sam snuck out of Sebastian’s house, tiptoeing across town to his home near the river. Bursting through the door, Sam was expecting to see the same man who used to give big, bear-like hugs and would play soldier with him. Instead, seated in his father’s spot at the table was a monster. Gaunt and lifeless; the stranger seemed too weak to stand and was covered in lesions, as if something had bit him numerous times over a long period. Jodi stepped between Sam and the stranger, holding a look of concern and anger that Sam would never forget.

“Sam! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at Sebastian’s?”

Before Sam could respond, he saw the frail man put his face into his hands and sob. “Don’t let him see me like this. PLEASE!”

Jodi began to frantically push Sam into his bedroom as the child fought against her, wanting to know why Jodi invited a monster into their home. She eventually got the boy into his room, wedging a dining room chair under the doorknob, so he could not escape. Sam curled up in his bed and sobbed as Jodi called Robin to come pick him up. He spent the following week with Sebastian in his basement, convincing himself that the thin, frail monster at his table wasn’t his father. After the week was up, Sam was allowed to return home, only for his fears to be realized. The man at the table was indeed his father, and from that day fourth he would not be the same. No more bear hugs, no more playing soldiers. Nothing. 

Kent was out on his fifth deployment when Sam returned from picking up Vincent from space camp. When Vincent showed him the peculiar state of their parents' room, he wasn’t afraid. Sure, it was odd. Their mother was often very focused on tidiness, especially when Kent was away. But, there were many possibilities going through Sam’s head that could explain why she let the bedroom fall to shambles while he was away. The Xanax was the most peculiar part of the discovery. As far as Sam knew, no one in the house (not even his father) took Xanax. Jodi was not against western medicine, but she was often outspoken about how drugs like Xanax and Adderall caused more problems than solved them. 

As Sam descended the stairs toward the front door, he thought about the last time he saw his mother. He was preparing to leave to head up to Presque Isle. Jodi helped him pack his suitcase. Sam had asked her what her plans were while he was gone.

“I think I’m gonna take this rare moment of peace and quiet to work on my knitting.” She had been working on a blanket for two years now, always finding distractions.

“That sounds great!” Sam smiled. He liked seeing his mother happy.

“I really appreciate you doing this drive.”

“It’s not a problem Mom. I’ve never been to northern Maine before. I’m excited.”

“Watch out for moose and bears. They are everywhere up there.”

“Sure thing.”

“I love you. Drive safe. I’ll have homemade pizza ready for you guys when you get back.” And with that, she sent him out the door toward his strenuous three day trip.

Returning to his present moment, leaving the house through his front door toward Pelican Town, Sam found himself thinking about the last thing she said to him. The state of the master bedroom was strange enough, but the crowning peculiarity was the lack of any sort of greeting as they came home. It was not like Jodi to not be around during a homecoming, especially when a family member has been away for months. 

Sam finally reached the town square, which was moderately busy. Still, there was no sign of his mother anywhere. His eyes wandered to Robin, who was talking with Evelyn near the town decor piece the elderly woman worked on every season. Robin was wearing workout gear, sparking a reminder in Sam’s head that it was Tuesday. _Maybe she was at Caroline’s_. 

Sam pressed toward the two women. Robin turned her head to him and gave a big smile. “Sam! You’re back! How was the drive?”

“It was long. I’m happy to be back.” Sam was genuine in this statement, but he was there for a purpose, “Robin, do you know where my mom is.”

The smile on Robin’s face dropped before a look of hesitant concern took over, “No. I haven’t. She’s not home?”

“No, I thought she may be getting ready to exercise with you guys.”

“No. I just came from Pierre's, she's not there.”

“That’s odd,” Sam could see both Robin and Evelyn’s expression become more panicked, as if they knew something he didn’t.

“It is...it really is…”

This is when the tears started. Sam could see both the women’s lips tremble. Evelyn was the first to break. She put her face into her left hand shamefully before walking away. It was confusing Sam, “What’s wrong.”

Robin continued to fight back her tears. She was doing it well, but Sam could still tell. “Nothing is wrong hon. At least not yet.”

Robin took Sam’s hand. He could feel her shaking. “Can you maybe help me find her?”

“Perhaps. Maybe we can ask Lewis.”

The two started toward the Mayor’s house nearby. It was at this point that Sam began to feel a similar glimmer of fear that had felt twice before. Once at the bottom of the east river, the other after seeing the monster at the dining room table. 

_Why are we going to Mayor Lewis’ house?_

_Why are both Evelyn and Robin acting like I just told them the most tragic news?_

_Where is my mother?_

* * *

Brooke’s pointer and middle finger pressed the button of a petite desk bell that sent a piercing ring through the fodder shop. She looked at the nearby door, expecting help to come out. A few moments came and went without anyone emerging. She turned to her cousin, who stood near the door, leaning against the wall pensively. They shared a glare of confusion before the quiet was broken by a door opening. A young girl, no older than eight years old emerged from the door, standing with a death glare. Brooke could tell she was nervous and decided to meet her halfway.

“Hey hon! We’re here to ask about some chickens.”

Brooke was met with a continued stone glare from the girl. Slowly, the pigtailed girl turned her head around to face the hallway behind her. “Mom!”

An older woman, possessing a warm and inviting energy, emerged from the door. She was wearing workout clothes, yet wasn’t sweating at all. “Hey guys. I am so sorry, but the shop is closed on Tuesdays.”

Brooke was confused by this. _What a random time to be closed._

“We were just hoping to get a price on some chickens.” Eddie spoke up from his corner.

“Oh! Well I can do that. Our cheapest chickens are currently going for $800.”

The price sent a chill down Brooke’s spine. Never had she heard of such an egregious price. Her thin filter was torn to shreds. “Do these chickens shit gold?”

Eddie shot a glare at her, however the woman fell into a giggle. “I get that a lot. No, they do not shit gold. However we do have some of the finest quality chickens in the northeast.” The woman paused, throwing an intuitive glance between the cousins, “Say...are you two the new residence of Renwick farm?”

“In the flesh.” Brooke appreciated the woman’s kindness, despite her price gouging.

“Well, welcome to Stardew Valley! My name is Marnie! I sell animals and animal products in town.” Her eyes wandered to Eddie’s worn shoes. “I also do shoe cobbling as a side hobby.”

“It’s nice to meet you Marnie. But I’m not sure we can afford to buy with those prices.”

“I’ll tell you what, come by when I am open next time and I will sell you your first chicken 75% off. I think you’ll begin to see just how great our chickens are.”

The offer was good, and this alleviated some of Brooke’s anxiety.

“That’s very generous and we will definitely be back to take up that offer.” Eddie spoke up before Brooke could reply.

“Glad to hear! What do you both think of the town so far?”

Brooke was the first to speak this time, “It’s nice so far. Though I could do with the sirens.”

“Yeah, you both came at such a scary time.”

“Eddie was telling me that they found a mangled torso?”

“It’s awful. Just awful. They still don’t even know who the torso belonged to. I haven’t allowed Jas to go out and play since it happened.” The woman looked to her young daughter, who stood timidly behind the door.

“Well, I hope they solve the case soon!” Brooke’s comment was empty, but Marnie grabbed it anyway.

“Certainly. I just want life to get back to the way it was.”

“Well, thank you again Marnie!” Brooke and Eddie turned the opposite direction, leaving with more frustration than what they came with. As they both left through the front door, Brooke was immediately drawn to a racket coming from the animal pen to the left of them. 

The man in the blue sweatshirt, the one who was so rude to her the night before, was there, knee deep in mud, shoveling bales of hay into a feeder for the nearby cows and chickens. He seemed focused and determined in his task at hand. Brooke, being a pervasive lover of irony, decided to take this opportunity to confront him. She turned to speak to her cousin, who also noticed the man from their bar encounter the night before.

“Why don’t you head back. I’ll be there soon.”

“Alright...but Brooke, try not to make enemies here. It’s not what we need right now.”

“Don’t worry. I got this.”

Before Eddie could say anything else, Brooke advanced through the pen gate, directly toward the working man.

“Hey, beer guy.”

He stopped what he was doing, turning around with a look of irritation and premature removal. “Oh, Jesus Christ.”

“So you work with animals?”

“I live here. This is my aunt’s place.”

Brooke was piecing everything together and decided to continue, trying to keep reined in. “I’m sorry if I bugged you last night.”

“Nothing you can do about that.”

Brooke was caught off guard by his continued rudeness. “You know, just an FYI, I’m not a newcomer.”

“What?”

“Last night, you mentioned you didn’t like newcomers. I’m not a newcomer. My grandfather lived here all his life and I used to spend entire weekends here when I was younger.”

“Right...well, sorry I guess.” He returned to working. 

Brooke noticed a small bundle of beer cans on a nearby wooden stool. “Why do you not like newcomers?”

“They ruin the peace of the town. They think they can just bring all of their baggage from outside and expect everyone to accommodate.” His explanation was the most Brooke had heard him talk. He sounded genuinely frustrated.

“I can get that.”

“Is there any reason you’re still here?” He was still snippy and rude, however Brooke noticed a certain ambivalence that wasn’t there the night before. Both their attitudes toward each other were changing.

“Sorry.” She began to walk away, stopping to turn to him once more. “Can I at least know your name?”

He paused, pondering if he wanted to give this information. “Shane.”

She smiled, seeing this development as a small victory. “Have a good Tuesday, Shane.” 

Satisfied with having the last word, Brooke made her way up the trail that laid north of the Fodder Shop, eventually returning to her overgrown lot. She cycled through her experiences in the Valley thus far. She had been pretty confrontational to everyone, sometimes warranted, sometimes perhaps not. _Not the best way to start after pressing the restart button_. Brooke thought back to her life in Zuzu City. She thought about all the people in her life while she was there she was also not afraid to confront. She thought about her job at Joja, the endless sea of cubicles filled with people that lacked any sort of personality. 

As Brooke reached her farmhouse, seeing Eddie in her living room using the only phone on the property, she began to think about the people she had met in the town thus far; the make-up caked bus driver, the portly coward of a mayor, the gorgeous carpenter, the bitter drunk with five o’clock shadow. All of these people had so much more personality than any person Brooke met thus far in her life. It was overwhelming to take in all at once, and she had a fighting spirit to combat it.

* * *

Abigail knew something was up as soon as Caroline sent Marnie away. Marnie was one of the few women in town who wasn’t married. She was outspoken on her loneliness, especially to her Tuesday exercise group. Caroline often felt for her, often allowing her to stay for dinner or just hang out. Tonight was different though. A certain mood had taken over Pierre’s shop like a virus, creating a palpable tension Abigail had never felt before. 

It began when Lewis showed up. Pierre had just closed shop, Abigail was helping restock shelves, and Marnie was helping Caroline prepare for her Tuesday ritual. Lewis looked like he had just seen a ghost, a ghost so vile that it could insight nightmares for weeks to come. The mayor asked almost immediately to speak to Caroline and Pierre privately. Politely, Pierre asked his daughter to move to her bedroom. Abigail was frustrated by this, not wanting to be left out of something that was clearly serious. Marnie was more outspoken about her frustration. 

“Jesus Lewis, I just got here.”

“It’s fine Marnie, we can just do it next Tuesday.” Caroline was reassuring at first.

“But Tuesdays exercising is the only thing I have to look forward to!”

“Marnie! Please, just go! I mean, look at Lewis, it’s clearly serious.”

Abigail had never seen her mother so blunt and frustrated as she did in that moment. Everyone in the shop knew, deep down, that Lewis was here with news about the torso. It was clear that Marnie wanted to hear the information just as much as Abigail did, but eventually both uninvited women obliged. Marnie left through the front doors, Abigail went back to her bedroom.

This was not the end of Abigail’s inquisitive quest though. Unbeknownst to Pierre and Caroline, Abigail installed a peep hole from her room into the shop. It had been years since she used it, having only installed it as a prank to spy on Sam whenever he came into the shop. It was Sebastian’s idea. He slept over a lot when they were in Middle School. Removing the painting of an amethyst filled cave, Abigail revealed the small peep hole above her bed, bringing her ear to it. She could hear the conversation perfectly, though she missed the beginning part of it.

“Jesus Christ. Are you absolutely positive, Lewis?” This was her father’s voice. His nasally tone was distinct.

“Of course not. But I have a pretty strong feeling that it’s who it is.”

“Fuck, Jodi. What the fuck.” Caroline’s voice was trembling, she was clearly holding back tears.

Abigail fell into a spiral in her head. _Jodi? Sam!_ _What the fuck is going on?_

“Well, how can we know for sure.” Pierre seemed insistent, not wanting to take in the truth.

“We need him to identify the body. That’s the only way we’ll know for sure,” Lewis sounded somber. 

There was tense silence that followed this statement. Caroline was the first to break it, “Come on Lewis, there has to be some other way.”

“We can’t put that responsibility on him, that would be so traumatic,” Pierre added.

“Well, it’s either we have him identify it now so we can begin our investigation, or we wait until Kent can come back from his deployment,” Lewis shared this grim prospect with frustration, “Though I’m worried the body may be too decomposed by then.”

This was followed by another prolonged silence. Abigail thought about Sam. Just days before, they had been practicing for their next Salmonberries concert at The Stardrop. Sam was excited because he was working on a new song that he thought would be the band’s best yet. Life was totally different now. Sam lost his mother in one of the most heinous ways possible, and Sebastian was the poor soul who discovered it. Abigail was stuck in the middle, somehow coming out of the situation unscathed. Despite this, she felt the gravity of the situation and knew she would have to be a crying shoulder for two broken souls in the days to come.

The silence was broken, once again, by Caroline, “Does Sam know yet?”

“I haven’t told him.”

“Why not?” Caroline sounded angry, trying to hold back building tears.

“I don’t know how to break that kind of news. I’ve never been in this situation before.”

“News flash Lewis: NONE OF US HAVE!” Caroline’s voice was booming, so loud that Abigail would have been able to hear it without the peep hole.

“Sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry.” It was difficult for Abigail to keep track of who was saying what at this point.

“I can tell him. Jodi was my best friend.”

“Caroline, you don’t hav-”

“No. It’s how it should be.”

The piercing sound of Abigail’s bedroom phone broke her eavesdropping focus. Frustrated, Abigail climbed off her bed, crossing the room to pick up the phone off its receiver. “Hello?”

“Hey Abigail! It’s Eddie.”

“Who?”

There was a pause on the other end, “Eddie...from the bar.”

“Oh, hi Eddie.”

“How are you tonight?”

“You know...Eddie...I really want to talk more, but this is kind of a bad time.”

“Oh, of course! I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault.”

“I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. I could use a more formal tour of the valley.”

“Tomorrow is restock day here at the shop.”

“Oh…”

“I can do Thursday though.”

There was a perk in his voice, “Okay, Thursday sounds good!”

“Great. See you then.”

Before Eddie could extend the already long interrupting phone call, Abigail dropped the phone into its base, frantically returning to her bed. Bringing her ear to the peephole, Abigail could hear nothing. _Where did they go?_

Abigail threw her shoes on, running back out into the store. No one was there to be seen. She ran to the front window of the shop, finally locating the departing party. They were heading toward Lewis’ house. _Are they breaking the news now?_

Quickly yet discreetly, Abigail left through the front door, bending left toward the river before heading toward Lewis’ house via the back direction. She was worried about Sam. He was always known to be the fearless member of her friend group, but even this was probably too much for him to face. Finally reaching the east side of Lewis house, Abigail positioned herself below a window, being able to get a perfect view into the house where a growing crowd was forming. It was difficult to hear voices clearly through the window, but she could make out enough. She watched as Robin and Sam played cards at Lewis’ table. Lewis, Pierre, and Caroline arrived moments later, bringing a look of concern upon Sam’s face. Caroline briskly sat next to Sam and gave him a gentle hug.

“How are you sweetie?” Caroline’s voice was comforting.

“What’s going on Caroline? Where is my mom?”

A tense quiet fell upon the crowd. Caroline took Sam’s hand, “Sam...we are all just as confused as you are. But-”

“But what!” Even from a distance, Abigail could see tears form in Sam’s house. It was all starting to unravel.

“We think that something bad may have happened to your mother, Sam.” Caroline was gentle, wanting to cry with Sam.

“How bad? What kind of thing happened?”

“Like I said, we don’t really know much.”

Robin moved to sit next to Sam. “Sebastian found something near our house a couple days ago. A body part. We haven’t been able to figure out who it belongs to, but you mom is currently the only one not accounted for.”

Sam began to tremble, shaking his head, “No. No. There’s no way. You guys have to be mistaken.”

“It’s possible we could be. But there is only one way we are going to find out.” Caroline was leading to the big thing she didn’t want to do.

“What’s that?” The trembling stopped momentarily out of fear.

“The body, or what’s left of it, is currently at Harvey’s. We need you to identify it.”

The trembling began again, tears descending his cheeks, “No. I can’t. Please...no.”

Caroline pulled Sam into her arms, comforting him as he began to succumb to his fears. “I’m gonna be there with you Sam. We’re gonna do it together.”

Sam let out a piercing wail, a wail so terrifying that Abigail wasn’t even aware a human could produce such a sound. All of the adults in Lewis’ home discreetly squirmed in their place at the scene taking place in front of them. Robin stood up from her place, crossing to Lewis.

“I’m going to head to their place and stay with Vincent. I’ll try to think of some way to explain this to him.” The carpenter then left with full somber. Abigail slowly backed away from the window before hearing a familiar deep voice coming from behind her distantly.

“What the fuck?”

Abigail slowly turned around to see Alex, sporting his letterman jacket. His arm was around his girlfriend, Haley, who held a face of condescending disgust.

“Didn’t anyone teach you that looking through people’s windows is rude?” Haley sputtered out before turning to Alex, “What a creep.”

“Why don’t you both fuck off.” Abigail never got along with the two of them. They were both mean to her and her friends all through school.

Haley stepped forward, escaping Alex’s side embrace, “Why don’t you. You have no business looking in there.”

“You both have no idea what’s going. Stay out of it.”

Haley pursed her lips before backing up to her boyfriend. Her lips turned into a smile. “Maybe I’ll just talk to Lewis tomorrow, let him know he needs some curtains.”

Abigail threw a look of disgust and hatred before the couple proceeded up the river bank, giggling to themselves. She turned back toward the window, seeing that it was now only Lewis, who sat in his chair with head in hands. Abigail stealthily proceeded around the front of the house to the other side, crossing to The Stardrop Saloon. There, she saw her mother slowly leading Sam to Harvey’s. They looked like a funeral procession. Sam was sobbing into Caroline’s shoulder as she led him. 

It was a lot for Abigail to take in. As she made her way back to her bedroom, she thought about all of the information that befell upon her. _Who would kill Jodi?_ She was always known in town as the sweetest woman. As far as Abigail knew, no one had a problem with her. She was involved in the community, loved her children unconditionally, and supported her husband through all of his tribulations after being abroad. 

Abigail thought back to a memory of their first performance at The Stardrop. The three members were very nervous. In the months prior, the group received so much backlash during their practice sessions. Demetrius was persistent about not letting the group practice in Sebastians garage as it “distracted” him from his work. Abigail’s parents didn’t let them practice in the back of Pierre’s shop as they feared it would drive away their already thin amount of customers. Practicing their music was challenging, it felt like no one in the town believed in them. As the group walked out into the main space of the saloon, they had a slim but decent turn out. Elliot, Leah, Pam, Willy, Shane, Harvey, and others all turned up to watch. Most importantly, Jodi was there with Vincent. She was the only one of the band’s parents who showed up.

Abigail finally reached her room, hanging her amethyst painting up and climbing into bed. As she got under the bed sheets, she dove into the memory again, hearing the compliments Jodi rained on the band after their performance. She exclaimed how proud she was of all of them. From then on out, Jodi allowed the band to practice in Sam’s room during weekend afternoons, allowing the group to grow and have the first sliver of freedom.

Abigail violently pulled herself from the memory. Not able to handle the loss, she quietly wept; dreading the surely emotional days to come.

* * *

Both of Caroline’s parents died decades ago. She was only three when they both got into a violent head-on collision, leaving no survivors. She had virtually no memories of the two of them, and no recollection of the following days after their death. About two years after her and Pierre married; Pierre’s mother, who had been absent most of his upbringing, swallowed a bunch of pills in a cabin she resided in as a hermit. Caroline comforted Pierre for a few days following this, but he was over it pretty quickly. There were not many memories he had to mourn over. 

Nothing in early life prepared Caroline for the comfort and support she had to exude for Sam. In reality, she wanted to break down and cry just as much as he did. Jodi was Caroline’s best friend. They had years of memories of their own, spanning longer than Sam has been alive. Caroline had been there when Jodi meant Kent. She stood beside her during their wedding. She drove Jodi to the hospital when she had Vincent. She helped her care for Kent after he returned from his third deployment. Caroline was there for everything. She knew all of Jodi’s interests, hatreds, insecurities, and secrets. They were basically sisters.

Being an emotional rock for Sam was one of the most difficult things she had to face. As they both walked together through the front door of Harvey’s office, she could feel Sam tremble in her arms. Making their way down the poorly lit hallway, Caroline could feel herself begin to tremble as well. It was as if Sam’s trembling had found some way to seep into Caroline’s own body, spreading its fear. 

Caroline reached out her hand, pushing through the double doors, entering the massive operating room. Harvey sat next to the central table, a mound laying on top of it, covered with a sheet. She started forward, but was held back by Sam, who stood in his place. Caroline could see Sam’s lips quiver. She wondered how he could see through all the tears in his eyes.

“I can’t...I can’t.”

“It’s okay Sam. I’m right here with you.” Caroline whispered tenderly in his ear.

Sam eventually gave in, allowing her to guide him to the operating table. Harvey was clearly uncomfortable by the whole situation, shifting in his chair and avoiding eye contact.

“Hey Sam. Uh, so...I’m obligated to ask you if you know of any identifying marks from your mother’s torso?”

“What?” Sam sounded totally lost.

“Did your mom have any birthmarks or identifying freckles on her belly, or shoulder?” Harvey carefully clarified. He was doing a good job.

“Oh. She had a birthmark on the right part of her shoulder. I always used to think it looked like a penny.”

“Thank you Sam. I’m going to uncover this now, and I need you to tell me if you can identify that birthmark.” Harvey explained as he rolled on rubber gloves.

“Just get on with it,” Caroline said curtly but with respect.

“Right.” Harvey grabbed the edge of the white sheet, slowly pulling it back. What came out from underneath was something that Caroline was not expecting to see. What was left of Jodi did not even look like a body. It looked like a giant piece of meat from a freshly killed animal. There was no head, no arms, no legs, no signifier that what lied on the table belonged to a human. The only thing that flashed out to everyone in the room, the most important signifier of humanity, was a large brown birthmark. It was indeed the size of a penny and lied on what was left of a shoulder blade. 

Caroline felt Sam fall from her arms. As he landed on his knees, bawling toward the floor, Caroline brought her hands over her mouth, finally letting the tears fall and a small squeal escape between her fingers. 

“No. Nonononono. Who would do that to her? Who would do that to my mom?” The words were barely audible through Sam’s wails. 

Caroline reached her hand toward Sam, lightly placing it on his shoulder. “Let’s get out of here Sam. Let’s go.”

Sam held his place, falling deeper into an entrapping sob, “Who’s gonna save me? Who’s gonna pull me from the river now?”

Caroline had no idea what Sam was talking about, but she didn’t harp on it. The emotional gravity of the entire situation was holding everyone in the room to the floor. No one could move. It was at this point that the dying lightbulb in the single hallway light finally gave out, letting the space plunge into darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and constructive comments are always appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read this and I hope you stay with me as we travel deeper into this complex yet painstakingly fascinating mystery.


End file.
